How Does Team USA’s Slow Start to Olympics Compare to Past Games? originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Team USA has gotten off to a slow start at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
As big-name American stars like Jamie Anderson, Red Gerard, Mikaela Shiffrin and Shaun White have fallen short of the podium, the United States has found itself lagging behind in the medal standings.
Through seven days of competition in Beijing, Team USA has four gold medals and 10 total medals. They are tied for fifth with Austria in golds and tied for sixth with Italy and the Netherlands in overall medals.
So how does that lackluster start compare to past Games? Well, it isn’t the worst, but it’s right up there with some of the slowest starts in recent history.
Since 1998, the United States has only had two slower starts to a Winter Olympics — the 1998 Nagano Games and the 2018 PyeongChang Games.
The United States never really got out of its funk in 1998, going on to win the sixth-most medals (13) and tying for the fourth-most golds (six) at the Games. However, Team USA did make a late push in 2018, securing the fourth-most total medals (23) and golds (nine) in PyeongChang.
Team USA’s start in Beijing is tied with the 2006 Torino Games for third-slowest since 1998. Just like at the PyeongChang Games, the United States was able to shake off its slow start in Torino, finishing with the second-most medals (25) and golds (nine) at the Games.
In terms of gold medals, the United States is also tied for its third-worst start since 1998, besting just the 1998 Games (three golds) and the 2002 Salt Lake City Games (two). The U.S. also had four golds through seven days at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
But there have been times in recent history where Team USA accumulated golds in the later stages of an Olympics following a slow start.
With the women’s hockey team and men’s curling team among several gold-medal contenders still competing, the United States will be hoping for another strong finish in Beijing.
